The Truth Feels Good
by Quirkista
Summary: Zuko...he has been feeling rather strange around Katara recently. This can only mean one thing, right? And no, Sokka it isn't a dance party! Read as Zuko struggles with his conflicting emotions after he joins the Gaang. I'm not going to tell you that this is an one of a kind fic, because please who wants to hear that? Rating may change in later chapters!(M)
1. My Story

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA.**

**So, this is going to be one of my contributions to Zutara Week! I'm going to write two multi-chapter fics; one will be a sequel to Facepalm, my first completed fic and my other one is going to be a fic in Zuko's POV. Yes, you're reading the first chapter now.**

**Excuse the length of this chapter, I just wanted to see if people would be interested. But regardless, I'm going to continue writing this fic, but reviews will be very welcome *hint hint***

Have you ever liked someone you shouldn't like? Not because it is frowned upon, but because said person hates your guts? If the answer is yes, then you can understand my pain and where I am coming from. If not, well tough luck you will understand pretty soon.

Without any further ado, I think that it is time to tell you my story. Not long after I joined the Gaang, Katara made it extremely obvious that I. Wasn't. Welcome.

Yeah, it sucks when you are trying to impress someone who despises you. It's kind of a downer to be honest with you.

And yeah, I understand why she is hurt and angry. I really do. I betrayed her trust and I consider trust to be a very important trait, so coming from me this is some serious chiz. I realise that I was a total asshole.

I mean, I was such a douche. It didn't occur to me once. I just wanted my honour back. Now it seems pathetic to me. But I guess hindsight is valuable in the end. I travelled all over the world, stalking their every move.

Even then, Katara was like a goddess to me. She was, is and will forever be beautiful. She is like one of those timeless beauties. I can imagine myself waking up one day when I am about seventy years of age, lying next to my wife. Katara. And I'm just looking at her and marvelling in her beauty, thinking to myself, 'I'm one goddamn lucky bastard.'

I mean, her eyes are the purest blue imaginable. Every time, I look at her, even the briefest glance, my heart starts beating like mad and Toph always, never fails to look at me with a questionable look in her eyes and a smirk on her face. I swear to Agni that girl is like a human lie detector. I may say one thing but she knows that I am lying, and well, it gets kind of awkward…

Was Katara's anger warranted? Probably, if I'm being truthful. I don't blame her in the slightest. In fact, I blame myself because if it were not for me, she would trust me and I wouldn't be moping in the first place…

So this is my story, like it or not, I am telling you the truth.

**Please read and review! :D Thank you very much!**


	2. The Lengthy Wait

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA.**

**Thanks to lovecomyes17, BayDear, Rainproof Coyote, PlotbunnyChariot, Geekazoid13 and krikanalo for your amazing reviews!**

So, this is awkward. I know that they will arrive any moment now… And by the way, what is taking them so long? I'm sorry, but I arrived in half the time it is taking them to drag their lazy asses to this silent, peaceful stretch of 'land'…the landscape to the west of my campsite is quite craggy and all at once there is a steep drop ending in a bottomless open aired cavern. How do I know this piece of information? Well, when you are bored, you will try anything.

Purely experimental of course, I threw a pebble into the vast canyon and watched as it descended into the gravelly chasm. The stone is like a metaphor for my guilt ridden conscience. It is yet another reason why I must help Aang master firebending. I want my Uncle to be proud of me, and I know that this is way to change my destiny. This is how I will help save the world from disaster. Hopefully.

The Western Air Temple is majestic, regal, and magnificent; any number of words that are used to describe a place of power, a place that is so pure it almost feels like it has fallen out of the heavens, like the spirits placed it in this exact spot. I can't help but feel serene, that is until my impatience takes over and I begin to pace again.

It is an upside down world, the Western Air Temple is, and simply peering out from the dense forest at the hanging world is giving me a headache. I guess that I should stop but I have nothing else to do, until the Avatar and his friends get here.

I should probably practise a speech or something, so I don't make a doofus out of myself. It occurs more often than I care to admit.

And so, I stride towards my pathetic campsite. As I gaze at my green tent, a rabbit frog hops by. Hippity hoppity, I feel my brains cell dying. Hippity hoppity, I am so bored.

"Hey guys, so I was wanting to know if you were looking for a firebending teacher-" This is my cue to scratch my head awkwardly-"Ah never mind, let me start again."

Why is it so darn hard to be sociable? You would think that a former prince would be adept at such a simple thing, but no I have to be an exception. Every time, I open my damn mouth it's like all I hear is word vomit.

What would my uncle say? He would probably say something about inner serenity being the key to unlocking all other aspects of life. Which of course is somewhat ridiculous, but whatever. My Uncle is known for his vagueness. Suddenly I feel a deep knot in my stomach, guilt is not a pleasant feeling and I vow to make it up to him.

And then I hear the Avatar's air bison bellow. Finally, now I can make it up to them!

And I get to sneak a peek at the beautiful brunette water bender. What? I am a teenage boy after all and she is beautiful...

**Sorry for such a terrible chapter. I would also like to apologize for not updating. This chapter is short, but I hope the quality will make up for it! :)**

**The next chapter will be longer!**

**GREASE IS THE WORD!**


	3. Slack

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA.**

**Thanks to 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10, jah753, Geekazoid13, mirandaparra15, Wonderoasis and koryanders for all your amazing reviews!**

"Hey guys, what's up?" I ask.

And almost immediately, I realise this is not the sort of greeting you use in relation to the group of people you have chased all around the world. Who knew? But now I do.

The beautiful water bender seems to be turning a rather scary shade of dark red. Is she choking? Does she need some help? Does she need some water? Well, if that is the case why doesn't she just bend herself some water. I am serious, it is getting pretty scary. Her usually tan skin is now a fetching shade of red. And hey, I don't judge. But I can almost taste the tension and let me tell you, it does not taste good. It tastes like what I would imagine a lion frog would taste. And they are notoriously chewy and overall they are quite a required taste. I wouldn't know after all, it is an Earth Kingdom delicacy. Uncle used to cook them for himself; he always said that there is nothing better than a lion frog to go with your jasmine tea and a nice game of Pai Sho. Like I said, I don't judge. Whatever floats your Fire Nation naval ship.

Hmmm….my silence is not helping with the whole tangible tension issue. In fact, it actually seems to have the opposite effect.

"Um…hey guys!"

Facepalm. Seriously, I sound like an idiot.

"HEY? You think that you can just waltz in here and say hey to us after everything you have done…and after you betrayed me…"

Her brother interrupts, sounding rather suspicious.

"What do you mean he betrayed you? You never said anything about this supposed betrayal. I am so mad with you. You told me about the time that my belt didn't go with my new bag and now nothing. If anything, you have betrayed me!"

What? This whole situation is becoming incredibly strange extremely quickly.

The Avatar seems to be holding in peals of laughter… hmmm…. I think I will this group or should I call them the Gaang. See? I am already thinking like them.

"Sokka, I thought that you were joking about that bag!" Aang says in an amused tone.

"What?! It's my boomerang bag, it has to look good."

And while they continue to banter back and forth, Katara strides confidently towards me. You don't have to tell me that she is livid. I can tell from her facial expression; she isn't giving much away but at the same time, I can tell that she is going to explode any minute.

Katara looks menacing when she is angry; her vivid oceanic blues narrow so much that they are basically slits, her teeth are set in a determined grimace and overall she looks pissed off with every fibre of her being. I don't know how girls manage it, but when they are pissed off it's like they exude this vibe that basically dares you to piss them off. How incredibly stupid would you be to ignore that glance.

"So when did you guys get here? I have been waiting a while. I just assumed that you would arrive here next; it seemed like the most logical plan…"

As I continue to ramble on and on, I realise that I am actually stupid enough to piss off an already enraged girl. Imagine that, waking up one fine morning to realise that you are actually daring enough to piss off an already enraged girl. It is quite the startling revelation, I can tell you and I am still recovering from the aftermath.

Katara holds up one tan, tiny hand.

"Stop, just stop talking. I don't want to hear about it. Why would you think that I would want to hear this? You betrayed me remember, I told you about my mother and you betrayed me. Not to mention that you are a psychopath. You chased us around the world-"

"Hey, maybe I am a bit driven but that does not mean that I am a psychopath, I think that you have me mixed up with my sister, who is clinically insane. My mother had her tested."

"Hey, did you just have the balls to interrupt me?"

And that is when I saw the dangerous glint in her eyes. She is not looking for an answer; that was a rhetorical question. She doesn't want a response; she just wants to air her lungs. She just wants to remind the Gaang what I have done to them, that I have chased them relentlessly, that I betrayed my own uncle. She is throwing my own failures back into my face. I gulp as a lump rises in my throat. That was a low blow. On the one hand, I admire her but on the other she scares the shit out of me. And most of all, she makes me regret coming here.

I am so stupid. How could I think that things might have changed between us? If anything, things were as they should be and I had to come along to mess things up as usual.

For a minute, I am reminded of Azula who will bring up your faults and weaknesses just to sway an argument in her favour. In that sense, Katara is an awful lot like Azula. Although, of course Katara isn't insane.

By this time, the whole Gaang are staring at the pair of us with slack jaws and wide eyes. With every passing moment, I am reminded of the bad blood between us. But I am not going to back down, I came here for a purpose and I am not going away.

"Katara, even if you don't like me you can't deny that Aang needs a fire bending teacher. And I am a fire bender and I considered quite good for my age."

Now, if you thought their jaws were slack before, think again. That is nothing. This is a whole new level of shock. I fear they will never recover.

"Wait….you want to teach Aang….firebending?" Katara seems to be finding this concept too difficult.

I can't blame her really. I wasn't exactly bad but at the same, I wasn't exactly good. This is my chance to change my fate.

Toph is quiet...too quiet.

"He is telling the truth,"she proclaims.

And everyone gasps theatrically.

**Thank you so much!**

**Please read and review :D**


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